Record holder



March 10, 1942. B, A WHITNEY 2,275,664

RECORD HOLDER File'd NOV. 27, 1959 INVENTOR.

jjF/PA A. W/i/TA/EV BY V, W M ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. l0, 1942 RECORDHOLDER Byrl A. Whitney, Lakewood, Ohio Application November 27, 1939,Serial No. 308,320

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to trays or holders for relatively large flatobjects, particularly disk phonograph records.

The principal object of this invention is to store or file records orsimilar articles in a minimum amount of space while supporting therecords in position to permit any individual record to be quickly andeasily located and withdrawn. An-

other object is to protect the records against contact with each othernot only while they are stored in the tray but while they are beingwithdrawn or replaced. Another object is to arrange separators to beposltionedbetween the individual records in such a manner as tofacilitate the indexing and the locating of any desired record forwithdrawal or the locating of the proper space for a record when it isbeing returned to the tray. Another object is to provide a simple,economical, and, yet durable holder which occupies a minimum of spaceand may be readily stored in a cabinet and moved to any desiredposition.

Other objects and advantages and the manner in which the various objectsare realized will appear in the following description of a preferredembodiment of this invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a phonograph record holder showing therecords supported therein;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on a plane indicated byline 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a phantom perspective view with the central separatorsremoved showing the relation of the parts;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of a portion l of the holder withthe records removed from the compartments;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the large support for the records;

Figure 6 is an end view of the large support for the records;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the small support for the records; and

Figure8 is an end view of the small support for the records.

Referring to the drawing the holder shown comprises end supports II,which may be of any desired ornamental design, connected together bythree rods I2, I3 and I4 which also carry separators and record supportsdividing the spaces between the end supports into a plurality ofindividual record compartments. As shown the rod I2 is arranged in theupper rear corner of the device, the rod I3 in the lower rear corner andthe rod II in the lower forward comer. The

rods are preferably provided with nuts which may be drawn up to clampthe separators and spacers between the end frames, or may be secured tothe end frames in any suitable manner to form a relatively rigidstructure.

The separators are divided into two groups I5 and I6 which differslightly in shape, the separators I5 alternating with the separators I6.Each of the separators preferably consists of a sheet of thin relativelyflexible material such as pressboard or similar material which will notinjure the records and is sufilciently flexible to permit the separatorsto yield in removing or replacing the records.

The rod I2 is preferably coveredwith a, sleeve I! of rubber or otheryieldable material which serves as a buffer to protect the records incase they are thrust against it in removing or replacing the same. Theupper rear corner of each of the separators I5 and I Ii is formed withan opening through which the rod I2 and sleeve II passes, the openingspreferably being of such size to fit closely about the sleeve I! whilepermitting these corners of the separators to move therealong. The rodI3 is provided with a plurality of spacing washers I8, one locatedbetween each two adjacent separators. Each of the separators is providedwith a hole receiving and fitting closely about the rod I3 'so that whenthe device is assembled, the lower rear corners of the'separators may befirmly fixed in position by tightly drawing up the securing means forthe rod I3. In order to conserve space the-outermost separators may bepressed tightly against the end supports II, or if desired jam nuts maybe located on the rods I2, I3, and I4 between the end supports II andthe outermost separators.

The rod I 4 similarly passes through openings in the lower forwardcorners of the separators I5 and I6 which fit closely about the rod.Washers I9 and 20 of two different diameters but of the same thicknessas the spacing washers I8 are also mounted on the rod I4, one washerbeing located between each two adjacent separators. The securing meansfor the rod I4 are likewise drawn spacers l8 at the rear and the'washersl9 and 20 at the front, will engage and support records placed betweenthe separators. The rod I2 is preferably spaced so as to be normally outof contact with the records. Thus the separators and rods form separatecompartments open at their tops and their front sides.

As shown in Figure 2 a record 2| placed immediately to the right of oneof the separators l6 will be supported by one of the washers l8 on therod l3 and one of the rod I4 and will occupy the position shown with aportion of the record projecting forwardly from between the adjacentseparators. Similarly a record '22 placed immediately to the right of aseparator IE will rest upon one of the washers l8 at the rear and one ofthe large washers 20 at the front so that a portion of this record willproject upwardly from between the adjacent separators.

The separators l5 and I6 are provided with index tabs 23 and 24,respectively, located at their upper forward corners. The separators iiiare shaped at their upper forward corners so as'to approximately conformto a portion of the peripheries of the records 22, and the tabs 23formed upon these separators are arranged to project upwardly andoutwardly from the curvature of the records 22. The tabs on theseparator l6 are located below the tabs 23 and the separator l6 andtabs24 are likewise shaped to conform in the region of the tabs to thecurvature of the records 2|. Thus the uppermost tabs 23 are arranged todesignate the records 22 supported upon the large washers 20 andsubstantially coinform to the adjacent contours of these records.

Similarly the lower set of tabs 24 are arranged to designate the records2| supported upon the small washers l9 and likewise are arranged tosubstantially conform to the contour of these records.

The tabs 23 and 24 are designed to receive numbers or the like forindexing purposes and by the arrangement shown are located so that eachtab is visible and is adjacent the record which it designates and therecords may be returned to their compartments by contacting. the propertab and sliding the record into position. In removing or replacing therecords the separators may yield slightl by bending or by sliding oftheir upper rear corners along th sleeve 11.

The washers I8, l9 and 20 may be made of any desired material although Iprefer fiber or reasonably rigid rubber since such material does "notinjure the records in the event they are dropped or forcibly movedagainst their supports while at the same 'timeit permits the assembly ofseparators and'washers to be tightly secured on the rods l3 and It so asto make the entire tray relatively rigid and durable. It will beunderstood that the trays can be provided with any desired number ofcompartments and likewise can be constructed for any desired size ofrecord or similar article. Preferably each tray is constructed toreceive a number of records which may be readily handled or carriedabout and a plurality of trays may be stored in a cabinet, shelving, orthe like. Handles are preferably provided upon the end supports as byforming the supports with outwardly extending projections 25.

Whil I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention inconsiderable detail it will be understood that many modifications andrearrangements of the parts may be resorted to without departing fromthe scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

small washers I9 on the I claim:

l. Aholder for disks and the like formed with a plurality ofcompartments open at the top and front each arranged to receive a singledisk, supporting elements in said compartments arranged to engage andsupport the disks therein, the supporting elements in certain of saidcompartments being arranged to support said disks with portions thereofprojecting through the open tops of the compartments and the supportingelements in alternate compartments being arranged to support diskstherein with portions projecting through the open fronts of thecompartments, with the centers of the disks in alternate compartmentsoffset diagonally from 'each other along a line extending from the rearportion of the tops of the compartments to the lower portion. of thefronts of the compartments.

2. A holder for disks and the like comprising separators forming aplurality ofcompartments. supporting elements in the lower portions ofsaid compartments at the front and rear sides thereof having portionsarranged to engage disks in said compartments at two separated points,the disk engaging portions of the supporting elements in the rear sidesof said compartments being located at substantially the same level andat substantially the same distance from the front of the holder, and thesupporting elements in the front sides of said compartments having theircenters substantially aligned and their disk engaging portionsalternately positioned at two difierent levels, whereby disks of thesame size are supported at different levels in alternate compartments.

3. A holder for disks and the like comprising a plurality of separatorsforming individual compartments, supporting members in said compartmentsat the lower rear side thereof having portions arranged to engage disksin said compartments, the disk engaging portions of said supportingmembers being located at substantially the same level and atsubstantially the same distance from the front of the holder in all ofsaid compartments, and other supporting members in said compartments atthe lower forward portions thereof spaced from said first mentionedsupporting members and having disk engaging portions arranged inalternate compartments at two different levels and at correspondinglydifferent distances from the front of the holder, whereby disks of thesame size are supported at different levels in alternate compartments.

4. A holder for disks and the like including a plurality of separators,a pair of rods passing through said separators at spaced points, aseries of washers on each of said rods spacing said separators apartand-serving as supports for disks positioned between said separators,the washers of one of said series being of the same size and the washersof the other series being ofdiiferent sizes between alternateseparators.

5. A holder for disks and the like comprising a plurality of supportssecured together in spaced relation to form a plurality of compartmentsopen at their tops and front sides, means within said compartments tosupport disks arranged to support certain of said disks with portionsprojecting through the tops of said compartments and alternate diskswith portions projecting through the front sides of said compartments,and indexing tabs on certain of said separators arranged adjacent thedisks projecting from the tops of said compartments and indexing tabs onalternate separators arranged below said first mentioned ing formed attheir upper forward portions with a curvature corresponding to a portionof the disks projecting through the tops of adjacent compartments andhaving indexing tabs projecting outwardly therefrom, and alternateseparators being formed with a curvature conforming to a portion of thedisks projecting through the front sides of adjacent compartments andhaving indexing tabs projecting therefrom positioned below said firstmentioned indexing tabs,

7. A holder for disks and the like comprising rods passing through thelower portions of said end supports and said separators, spacers on said-a. pair of end supports, a plurality of separators positioned betweensaid end supports, spaced rods disposed between adjacent separators,said end supports, separators and spacers being tightly secured uponsaid rods forming a plurality of separate compartments, and a rodsecured'to the upper rear portions of said end supports and passingthrough said. separators, each intermediate separator being slidablealong said last mentioned rod toward and away from the ad-- jacentseparator on each side thereof.

8. A holder for disks and the like comprising a pair of end supports, aplurality of separators positioned between said end supports, spacedrods passing through the lower portions of said end supports and saidseparators, spacers on said rods disposed between adjacent separators,said end plates, separators and spacers being tightly secured upon saidrods forming a plurality of separate compartments, said spacers formingsupports for disks in said compartments and certain of said spacersengaging said disks in alternate compartments at two different levels,and a rod secured to the upper rear portions of said end plates andpassing through said separators, said separators being slidable alongsaid last mentioned rod;

\ BYRL A. WHITNEY.

